1st week of December, 2012
Dear Friends,
'Twas the month before Christmas and all through the shop...everyone was busy--too busy to stop. Well, sort of I guess. We have been busy and having fun wrapping gifts and mailing parcels and trying to do it all in the blink of an eye. I just love this time of year at the shop. There are lights all over downtown Ogden and the outside of our building looks awesome--except we keep blowing fuses ten minutes after they come on in the evening. How festive! We are even now planning our annual stroll (hustle through the freezing cold) through Christmas Village, but of course I have to wait until my boys are both home because they love (hate) it so much. Weather update: freezing cold, but still no snow. I guess we will only be dreaming of a white Christmas after all. Who cares anyway, it is just fun. Teri has been knitting her holiday dish rags (lovely cloths) for Christmas giving, and I have been obsessively stitching on my angel project (almost done and what will I do the rest of the holiday--must slow down.) Sue is making 80 angels, so who am I to talk. I should just go help her. As usual, we have watched a plethora of holiday movies, so we took a little poll at work:
A Poll of Favorite Christmas Movies
Teri: The Christmas List--but we don't think this should count because it has vanished from the earth. Teri: (next favorite movie): The Muppet Christmas Carol
Chyrl: A Season of Miracles (Ahhhhhh....)
Nancy: White Christmas (Sisters, Sisters....)
Sue: Miracle on 34th Street--it reminds her of when she was a little girl.
Kari: Miracle on 34th Street--it makes her laugh and cry every time.
Jill: Elf :)
Tina: Teri says that I should be honest and put The Christmas Without Snow which she says is one of the worst and most boring shows ever made. (but I secretly--or not so secretly--like it.) So I guess I will say The Holiday which I truly do love any time of the year. (I also love Love, Actually but I can't really recommend it because it has some rather naughty parts to it.)
So...happy movie watching all month long.
Here is one of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes. Teri made some to serve at work this week and everyone loved them. They sound weird, but they are so so good. Try a spoonful hot right out of the pan. When we were children, our dad planted a date tree out in our backyard and everyone thought he was insane. But for many years we had a huge crop of dates every fall and our mom would make this recipe. So, if you are a little adventurous, go get the supplies and try them. Yummy!
Date Balls
Date Balls
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups dates chopped
2 eggs well beaten
2 TBS milk
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups rice Crispies
1 electric frying pan: I could not live without this item and I have never tried this recipe in a regular pan, but I think it would work. I hope so, anyway.
Using your electric frying pan, melt the butter, add the sugar and dates as it is melting. Before the mixture gets too hot add the eggs and stir well. Add the milk, salt and the vanilla and cook until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan ( the recipe says this is obvious, but not really so much. Just keep stirring until it gets thicker and it does not run back to the edges of the pan.) Turn off the heat and add the crispies. Form into balls and roll in coconut or powdered sugar. I use a small dough scoop to make my balls. If you have any leftover--store them in the fridge, but serve them at room temperature.
I just thought that we would share with you this week some of the fun things that we have going on for the holiday season. As always, give us a call if you want anything. We are on speedy, elf shipping.
Christmas at Hollyberry Farm
by Stacy Nash
leaflet: $14.00
Also available as a kit...
Sorry this picture is so dark, but when this sampler came in this week we all just couldn't stop looking at it. It has a fabulous pine bough border, and all sorts of fun Christmas motifs. Teri has had so much fun spreading out the threads and thinking about the perfect fabric to use. She may be tweaking a few of the colors and getting it ready to be stitched. It is a lovely medium sized piece and will be wonderful to work on all through December to get ready for next year.
Merry Christmas
by Pineberry Lane
Leaflet: $11.00
Complete kit also available
We have this darling little piece hanging by our front counter and everyone just loves it. Stitched in festive overdyed cottons on a hand-dyed linen, it is just adorable.
Here are a few things that would be wonderful for Christmas giving (or Christmas getting!)
Namaste Boxes
$20.00 (unfilled)
Nancy has the greatest time each week outfitting the boxes on the counter with all kinds of wonderful needlework tools which are essential for a true stitcher. They have a magnetic top and bottom with a little shelf in between and it carries all the things that you need to grab and go. You can choose what you would like in yours, or let us fill it up for you. These are a must for your Christmas List.
Here are the new colours they come in but we don't always have all colors in stock because we sell them all the time:
Eggplant
Red
Lime
Espresso (brown)
Sunflower
Peacock
Sometimes we have monsters which we beg them to do for us which means 2 different colors on one box. Just give us a call and we will tell you what we have in stock.
Christmas Ort Boxes
$7.00
These handy little folding ort boxes are perfect to have out while you are stitching. They are the perfect place to put your clipped threads or any other refuse from an evening of stitching. They come in either bright or antique Christmas colors. (We have fun everyday colors as well.)
Scissors and Fobs
$11.00
These darling scissors and fobs are mix and match and any of the fobs can be put on any of the scissors. Scissors come in Red, Green and Blue
Candy Cane Scissors
$20.00
Here at last are the highly anticipated Candy Cane Scissors. They are very fun, very nice, and very orange. We love them, but are not so sure if they are for Christmas or for Halloween.
Christmas Pin Cushions
$6.00
These darling pin cushions are made from the most darling quilting fabric--sweet and simple. Finished with little hand-dyed buttons and matching ric rac, they would make a perfect stocking stuffer.
A Table of Christmas Delight
Teri has spent months searching out fun and unusual Christmas items for Santa's giving Back left: our Christmas paper scissors--perfect for holiday wrapping. Large: $5.00, Small: $3.00
Front left: Christmas labels buy Anna Griffin
Center: Anna Griffin holiday notebooks
Right: Christmas cards
Beaded Holiday Scissor Fobs
$14.00
Kathy, from Designs by Lisa, stopped by the shop yesterday with these super darling scissor fobs. Done on a Scrabble tile, they show sweet holiday and winter motifs. Each one is different and supply is limited.
Quaker Ornament Fob
by Jeannette Douglas
Teri has spent the last couple of nights--when she isn't decorating--stitching this sweet scissor fob. She loves how easy they are to finish--the instructions are great and the kit gives you supplies to make two ornaments. (One for your sister.) Perfect on scissors--not included, but also adorable on your tree.
Lizzie Kate Stockings
Leaflet: $
Stockings: $9.50 each
These are brand new stocking from Lizzie Kate. They are bright and cheery and easily stitched and slipped into a Christmas card to you favorite friend.
Christmas Notebooks
The perfect thing to put in a stocking or a neighbor gift. The tiniest one is only $3.20. Just right for keeping all your Christmas notes.
Italian Winter Thread Keeps
by Primitive Hare
$18.00
We love these hand-made thread keeps from the Primitive Hare. They have a lovely, wintry shabby creme finish and are very fun for keeping your threads all together.
Gift Wrap
Always Free
If you are shopping at our store for your best friend or family member, don't forget to have us wrap up your purchase for you. We have darling paper and bows and always add a sweet little tie on. We also do a great job with gift certificates--as Lynnette says--they are always the right size and the right color. Don't forget to tell your husband to stop by and pick up your favorite present. He will enjoy our friendly assistance and leave with 1 or 20 beautifully wrapped gifts ready for Santa's flight. We are the best secret keepers, of course. And...we can easily mail the wrapped packages right to your doorstep.
Ornament #2
by Chessie & Me
kit: $10.00
pattern only: free in an order or with a SASE.
(Sorry, we thought we had the picture of this darling ornament, but we don't have it. Will add it on tomorrow. )
I have to go to bed now, so I send you my wishes for a great December and a few stolen moments to stitch something fun just for you. fondly, Tina
